Helsinki Airport welcomes Alipay as Chinese visitor numbers increase

Chinese passengers are the most rapidly growing customer group at Helsinki Airport. Being able to use a familiar payment method will further improve their service experience at the airport. Helsinki Airport is among the first airports in Europe to enable AliPay. The first commercial operators at Helsinki Airport adopted the Chinese AliPay mobile payment application in December 2016.

“Chinese passengers are the most rapidly growing customer group at Helsinki Airport, and the group that use the most money. “We work hard to offer them the best possible service experience. “Familiar and easy payment options increase the feeling of smooth and safe travel for Chinese passengers,” explained Elena Stenholm, director of commercial services at Helsinki Airport.

Helsinki Airport is among the first airports in Europe to enable AliPay. “As far as we know, the only other airports accepting AliPay are Munich and Frankfurt. “Seven commercial service points have now adopted it at Helsinki Airport, and many others are interested. China UnionPay is already available at most airport outlets,” Stenholm added. AliPay can now be used to pay at the airport’s Iittala, M-Box, Finspiration, Lindroos and Moomin shop outlets.

Finavia’s intent is to have all airport’s commercial operators accepting AliPay. “We work in close cooperation with our commercial partners to develop the customer experience. “AliPay has been received very well, and we encourage businesses to enable it. “If the biggest commercial operators at the airport come along, the amount of outlets accepting AliPay will increase tenfold at once,” Stenholm said.

AliPay is a part of world’s largest online trading company Alibaba. AliPay is China’s leading mobile payment giant which has approximately 400 million users according to its own website.

Sabre Corporation has been recognized by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as NDC Level 3 capable as an I.T. provider. Reaching this milestone less than two months after announcing Level